InterlACE-CRC: highly sensitive, high throughput and cost-effective multi-omic diagnostics for early detection of colorectal cancer and critical precursor
A single blood draw could detect colorectal cancer at its earliest, most treatable stage, before symptoms even appear. This matters because colorectal cancer kills 16,800 people in the UK each year, and over 60% of cases are diagnosed only after the disease has advanced. Current stool-based screening tests miss roughly 60% of early-stage tumours. Tagomics Ltd has developed InterlACE, a blood test that targets unmethylated CpG regions in circulating tumour DNA—a marker of early cancer and precancerous growths that other tests overlook. The platform requires just 1 nanogram of DNA and runs a single sequencing analysis, keeping costs low and turnaround fast. If the project succeeds, the test could shift colorectal cancer diagnosis from late-stage intervention to routine early detection. For the NHS, which currently spends £1.74 billion annually on colorectal cancer care, catching more cases at Stage I—where survival is 90%—rather than Stage IV—where it drops to 15%—would reduce treatment costs and improve patient outcomes. The same platform could eventually be adapted for other cancers, quietly reshaping how the health system screens for the disease.
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**Healthcare Challenge** Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a major health concern in the UK, with more than 44,100 people diagnosed every year. Early detection is crucial, as survival rates are significantly higher when cancer is caught in the early stages---90% at Stage I, compared to just 15% at Stage IV. Despite this, over 60% of CRC cases are diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to 16,800-deaths annually and costing the NHS £1.74BN. One of the main challenges is that early-stage CRC often has few visible symptoms, and current screening methods, like stool tests, have low sensitivity for detecting early cancers (around 40% for T1 tumours). This means that many people are not diagnosed until the cancer is more advanced. There is an urgent need for more effective, non-invasive, and affordable ways to detect CRC earlier. **Novel Approach** Tagomics Ltd has developed an innovative solution called InterlACE, a blood-based test that targets specific changes in DNA, known as unmethylated CpG regions, which are linked to cancer. This approach identifies and enriches the circulating tumour DNA (ctDNA) found in the blood without damaging the DNA, enabling highly detailed analysis using artificial intelligence . By preserving important genetic information, this method allows for a comprehensive assessment of cancer markers using a single sequencing run. Tagomics' platform has demonstrated significant advantages over existing tests, including: * Higher sensitivity for early-stage cancer detection (over 98% compared to less than 83% in competing tests). * Targeted towards early cancer detection (hypomethylation) particularly for precancerous growths (adenomas), which are often missed by other methods. * Lower DNA-input required for testing, down to 1ng, making the process widely deployable with a single blood draw. * Faster turnaround time for results and lower costs compared to current options. **Project Focus** The InterlACE-CRC project aims to create a highly-sensitive (90%+), fast diagnostic test for early detection of colorectal cancer, especially in its early stages. The main goals are: * **Developing the platform**: Building a working version (MVP) of the InterLACE-CRC system. * **Validating the process**: Testing integration with Agilent's SureSelect panels to detect key cancer mutations. * **Identifying biomarkers**: Finding and confirming unique signatures for colorectal cancer and its precursors. * **Analytical validation**: Collecting data from 400-samples to ensure high sensitivity (90%+). * **Scaling production**: Expanding production of key enzymes and cofactors to meet commercial demand. By achieving these outputs, Tagomics aims to provide a breakthrough in CRC diagnostics, enabling earlier detection, more effective treatments, and better outcomes for patients.
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